Skate America: Predictions

[PolymerBob]

As I recall, Nastia and Shawn were lean, but they were muscular. If you look at the American and Canadian skaters, they are slim, but also muscular. Joannie and Ashley actually have biceps! Yu-Na is so thin it scares me.

[Joesitz]

Isn't Andre Lutai using a N.American choreographer. That may be what he needs. I do like his skating in general. Is there a 2009 bio on him?

[Medusa]

I guess some people 'have to' believe that all the slim beautiful women are torturing themselves by not eating chocolates and burgers every day.

That's simply insulting and patronising.

Isn't Andre Lutai using a N.American choreographer. That may be what he needs. I do like his skating in general. Is there a 2009 bio on him?

He used Tom Dickson last year, and I think it showed in his programs. But what I saw from the Mishin summer training camp didn't look too promising. He really must have been out of form at the beginning of the season, since they reduced his GPs to one (he was Top Ten at Worlds!).

I can't find any information about his new programs, his ISU bio hasn't been updated yet. The Russian wiki also doesn't offer additional information.

[prettykeys]

As I recall, Nastia and Shawn were lean, but they were muscular. If you look at the American and Canadian skaters, they are slim, but also muscular. Joannie and Ashley actually have biceps! Yu-Na is so thin it scares me.

This is your idea of "muscular"? http://gymblog.files.wordpress.com/2...-hollywood.jpg

http://kthanxbye.files.wordpress.com...tia_liukin.jpg

While I agree that YuNa is thin, Joannie is the only one who has noticeably defined biceps.

Ashley Wagner, 2008 NHK: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Carmichael.jpg

YuNa
http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/sp/afpji/2009...5a46.2210b.jpg

[prettykeys]

I'm not familiar with the eating habits of Koreans, so maybe Yu-Na's diet isn't as crazy as we are imagining. But when I see a skater like Caroline Zhang maintain a slender figure while eating anything and everything (including cakes, french toast, pizza, ice cream, etc), I wonder why any skater would torture themselves with such an extreme diet. Isn't it better just to eat healthy and sensibly? I'm not saying eat a bunch of sweets like Caroline seems to do-- that's not good for anyone-- but eating everything in moderation sounds a lot better than extreme dieting. If anything, an extreme diet probably zaps you of the energy and strength you would need for high-level training. And it wrecks your metabolism so that when you do start eating normally, your body can't handle it. When you are training 20-30 hours a week and burning off a ton of calories, an extreme diet doesn't seem necessary. Yu-Na won't even eat meat? That seems way too overboard.

While I do believe YuNa could stand to gain some body fat (and has room to eat a little more), her diet isn't "extreme" (it's restricted.) Clearly, she isn't zapped for energy when she competes or otherwise.

On the other hand, why do you think people who regularly overeat are often more tired than not?

Caloric counting is outdated and overly simplistic (the converse is also true--caloric counting is one of the weakest methods to build a diet for the purpose of losing weight.)

[Tango_D_R]

I do believe we're jumping on a conclusion here just based on one article which came out from her formal coach who she trained with when she was 10. Had it been Orser who spelled out these words, I would've been worried a little bit.

I never thought Kim was too skinny.. maybe because her body proportion seems too perfect for me.. I don't know. If today's Kim is rather unhealthy Kim, I wonder she'll be able to do quads when she's healthy .

[cosmos]

Wait. I didn't want to get into this discussion about Yuna's restrictive diet, but your post made my jaw drop. I haven't read every single post on this thread but I thought that people are making all these disapproving comments about her diet based on this little information that she has a calorie restrictive diet. Why are some of us jumping into conclusions or making unsupported claims as if we had been waiting for an opportunity to bash her?

Agree. There are people who are ready to criticise her. Orser, as her coach, certainly manages her diet plan, I believe. He wouldn't let her do an EXTREME DIET. In fact, she has never been healthier than now. In 2007, she could barely finish her lp, but now it seems that stamina is not her issue any more. If she is on an extreme diet, how could it be possible.

I believe, every skater is on her/his diet plan. Don't you remeber Kirk's article? If you see a skater in person, I am sure you will find he/she is very slim.

[PolymerBob]

This is your idea of "muscular"? http://gymblog.files.wordpress.com/2...-hollywood.jpg

http://kthanxbye.files.wordpress.com...tia_liukin.jpg

While I agree that YuNa is thin, Joannie is the only one who has noticeably defined biceps.

Ashley Wagner, 2008 NHK: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Carmichael.jpg

YuNa
http://d.yimg.com/i/ng/sp/afpji/2009...5a46.2210b.jpg

Maybe Nastia is a bad example, but Shawn was quite muscular --

http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/...son-bikini.jpg

http://thehalobender.files.wordpress...wn_johnson.jpg

And Ashley looks strong and healthy.

http://www2.pictures.gi.zimbio.com/I...WzNKXT3jzl.jpg

http://www.570news.com/content/FEEDS...6/s110617A.jpg

As for Miss Kim --

http://lh6.ggpht.com/elaing.zhang/R-...i080319038.jpg

[cosmos]

As for Miss Kim --

http://lh6.ggpht.com/elaing.zhang/R-...i080319038.jpg

This picture was taken in spring of 2007, almost 3 years ago. After that she gained at least 4 kg.

[Hsuhs]

He used Tom Dickson last year, and I think it showed in his programs.

ITA! It certainly did!

I can't find any information about his new programs, his ISU bio hasn't been updated yet. The Russian wiki also doesn't offer additional information.

Lutai chose the dynamic Carmina Burana by Carl Orff for the short program and the more lyrical Peer Gynt Suite by Edvard Grieg in a modern arrangement for the free skating. "My girl friend Ina (Demireva, Bulgarian ice dancer) suggested the short program to me. I showed it to Alexei Nikolaevitch (Mishin) and he also liked it," revealed Lutai. "The only thing is that a part of the music contains lyrics. I have a friend who suggested a good musician and DJ to me and he will now arrange the music in a way that the lyrics are completely dubbed."

Lutai explained that it took him a long time to decide about the free skating music. "We had different ideas ranging from cheerful to serious music. In the end, Alexei Nikolaevitch (Mishin) suggested this alternative to me, and the choreographer Evgeni Kovtun traveled to us to Italy. As soon as he arrived, we switched on the music. I liked it and I'm all for it. I liked all parts. So we started to put the program together. It is not a completely classical version and I think there are different moods within this music. Some parts are more cheerful and others are more sad. I like it because it is easy to listen to." (c)

Forever yours GS: http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2009/080909.shtml

[yqs100]

oh I thought this was a prediction threat............

Any predictions on Yuna's weight after the olympics
....

[sjwh08]

Still talking about Yuna's diet?

As long as we don't see her losing noticeable weight in a short period of time, she must be eating fine. If anything, I'd be more worried about overweight skaters whose weights are affecting jumping abilities than skinny skaters.

Even if Yuna's not a skater, she must be not so skinny in Korean standard. She probably has much more muscles than most of Korean girls do. Please don't even compare her with Joannie. I bet Asian women (except professional body builders) rarely get that muscular.

Let's just let her diet regime be whatever it is.

[Tango_D_R]

Ooh I'm a sucker for Joannie's biceps..

Looking back.. I cannot believe this was actually a prediction thread..haha..

[SerpentineSteps]

Still talking about Yuna's diet?

...

Let's just let her diet regime be whatever it is.

Exactly. Until we see sudden weight decreases and/or noticeable decreases in skating quality à-la-Akiko-circa-2003 (which obviously isn't the case), there's no need to scrutinize. I think we're getting a bit carried away in our need to undermine perceived perfection here. Do we really need to blemish Yu-na's AMAZING work ethic with this anorexia gossip?

[Mathman]

...Any predictions on Yuna's weight after the olympics...